Worksop boozer spat into cop’s mouth after lift home

Court Reporter

A booze and crack cocaine-addled Worksop man spat into a police officer’s mouth after he was given a lift home, a court heard.

Miles Keep was found crying in the middle of Park Street, so drunk he could hardly talk, at 11.15pm on February 6, said prosecutor Neil Hollett.

But when they reached his Forest Hill Road home, he became verbally abusive and spat several times at one constable, hitting him once in the mouth with a “large amount” of spittle.

The officer had to go to hospital for a blood test and the anxiety he would have felt, waiting for result,s would have aggravated the assault, the court heard.

Michael Little, mitigating, said Keep was “thoroughly, thoroughly ashamed about his behaviour.”

He said Keep had been drinking heavily since the age of 12 or 13 in a bid to “block out” homophobic abuse, but despite training to be a fashion designer, had been unable to hold down a job because of his alcohol abuse.

On the day in question, Mr Little said, Keep had been drinking with some homeless people, who sold the vodka he bought for crack cocaine, and he had smoked some of the drug.

“He bought a bottle of cider and sat on a park bench,” he said. “He can’t remember anything else.”

Probation officer Cheryl Nisbet said Keep, who takes medication for depression and anxiety, had been drinking two bottles of wine per day.

“He appreciates the worry that has been caused to the officer by waiting for test results as he has waited for HIV results himself,” she said, adding that he confirmed he was not HIV positive.

Kemp, 25, admitted assault when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

He was given a 12 month community order, with a six-month alcohol treatment order and six rehabilitation activity days.

He was given a three month curfew, from 7pm to 6am, which will be monitored by a tag, and was ordered to pay £500 compensation.